TOOLKIT DIRECTORY
Travel Tips for the Amputee and Brace User
Traveling can be even more enjoyable for individuals wearing orthotic or prosthetic
devices if you plan ahead to deal with challenges that will likely confront you.
Before leaving on a trip, make sure that your prosthesis is in tip-top shape by doing
the following:
- Clean your socket
- Check for tears and glue separation in the seams of your liner
- Inspect Velcro for frayed edges or weakness of grip
- Have all of your components tightened.
To make sure that you and your prosthesis remain in good condition throughout
your trip, pack
- Extra prosthetic socks in your carry-on and checked luggage
- Extra screws, screwdrivers and other hardware. You may run into difficulty
having these in your carry-on bag, so you may need to tighten all screws
before you leave and pack extra screws and screwdrivers in your checked
luggage
- Plastic bags to protect your prosthesis against sand and water
- Two sets of prescription medication-one in your carry on and one in your
checked luggage
- Skin creams to treat rashes or irritations
- A handicapped placard, if you have one. You can use this placard anywhere
in the United Stated, even in a rental car, so don’t leave home with out it.
- When making flight arrangements, request bulkhead seating. These seats are at the front of every section of the aircraft and typically have more leg room
- Allow an airport employee to push you to and from your flight in a wheelchair. By
doing this, you can usually jump to the head of the security line and save yourself
the energy and discomfort of a long walk to your gate
- Wear easy-to-slip-on shoes and loose-fitting clothing that will make it easy to show
your prosthesis at security
- Ask for a supervisor if you are having an unusual amount of difficulty at security
- Use the airport restroom before boarding
- Take advantage of the opportunity to pre-board your flight.
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